Railway signaling



,June 30, 1931; 5, PARRlLL 1,812,167

RAILWAY SIGNALING FiIed'OCL 18, 1929 INVENTOR: E. E.-Perr///,

Patented June 30, 1931 .NQ-UNITED STATES v TION OF PENNSYLVANIA A EN EASTON n. Imam LL, or nnenwoon OROUGH, 'PEN'Ns N-VANIaAsSI NQR T Inn UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, or swIssvAnE, I'ENNsyLvaNIA, A CORPORA-V RAILWAY S GNALING Application filed October 18,4929." Serial No. 400,542,

,My invention relates to railway signaling, and particularlyto rna'nually "controlled signaling for stretches of single'track railway. One feature of myinventio'n is the provlsion V 5 ofcompleteautomatie traflic locking between control stationswijthout the necessity for line wires. )I will describe one form of system embodying myjinventionyand will thenpoint out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanyingdrawing isa diagram- Inaticview showingone form of system embodying my invention. a Referring to the drawing, the'reference characters 1 and l' vdesignatethe track rails of a, stretch ofxsingle track railway along which traflic moves in both directions. These rails are divided by insulated joints 2' to form a main seCtiohX-Y5 as well as an approach section U-X at one end'of the main; section, and another approach, section"Y V at the otherfe'nd of the main section. V V

Each approach section is provided with a track circuit" comprising a battery 2'1, and'a track relaydesignated by the reference characterT' with an exponent corresponding to the'location. V

Eastbound traifio throughthe stretch U-V is governed bya signal S having a main arm 21 and 'a calling-on ar'm22. Westbound traflic through this stretch is governed by a Similar Signals", i ga main arm 23 and a calling-on arm 24 I I a Each end of the main section X Y is pro v vided' with a manuallyoperable lever designated by the reference. character L with an exponent corresponding to. the location. Each of these levers has a normalposition N, a

reverse Position l ol a middle or central position 0.

Also located adjacent each end of the main section XY,is astick relaygR, a track bat tery C; a-track' relay v T,"and a home stick re laylQ.

Referring particularly to stick relay R 7 this relay is provided with a pick-up circuit Vwhich passes from terminal B of a suitable source of current, "through a normal contactL oflever L a/front contact 17 of the 'thewinding ofrelayQ to terminal 0. It I v follows that relay QR will then remain ener- I gized as longfas lever L I remains in either 'therR or the C position or any position be track relay T "for section U%X, and the winding is ma R to terminal 0 0i s I'same source of current. This relay is also provided with a stick circuit which includes I a affront contact 9 of the relay jitself butexe I cludesthe' front contact 17 of track relay'T The circuits for relay RY are similar to those for relay RX. It follows that each relay R is normally energizedJ Each track batteryfC is normally connect v ed across the rails of the section X-'Y. Re-

ferringi'tobattery O for vexample, the circuit is from the upper terminal of this battery, through vback contact 18 of relay Q front contact 10 of relay R to track rail 1?,

and from track rail '1, through backrcontact 5 of track relay T 'to the lowerterminal of relay T or contact 6 ofltrack relay T as well as at the contacts'of the associated levers as wi'll ap pearhereinafter. 1 I

- The operation of the apparatus is' as follows :"I will first assume that the operator at point-'X desires'to admit aneastbound train to section XYL To [do this, .heiwillmove lever 'L to the R position, thereby opening at contact L both the pick-up and the stick circuits forrelay R isothat the lattrrelay will "become de-energiz'ed. The closing of the back point of contact 10 of relay'R will con-' nect track relayT with the track rails, so

pick-up circuit for relay will then be closed, which circuit passes from terminal B,

of track relayrT yand thewinding of relay Q toterminal O 'Afstick'circuit for relay Q will ithen be closed, which circuit passes trminal/BythrOugh aIlOthel' 1eVerc0n tact-L front contact 11' of relay Q3; and

tween the two The closing of relay Qx'will close a circuitjfor arm21 of signals, which 5 that this relay will become energized. .A, I

circuit passes from terminal 13, through lever contact L front contact 12 of relay Q front contact of push button P front contact 4 of track relay T front contact 25 on track relay T and the operating mechanism of signal arm 21 to terminal 0. As soon as this arm moves to the clear position, a second stick circuit for relay will become closed, which circuit passes from terminal B, through contact 21 operated by signal arm 21, front contact 11 of relay QB, and the winding of relay Q to terminal 0. Vi hen the train enters section UX, it will open track relay T, and this will open the circuit for signal arm 21 so that the arm will return to the stop position. When the train enters section XY, it will cause track relay T to become de-energized, thereby opening the cir cuit for signal arm 21 at contact l, so that this arm will remain in its stop position. Relay Q? will remain energized, however, because of its stick circuit through lever con tact L lVhen the train passes out of section X-Y, signal arm 21 will return to its clear position, provided, of course, that lever L remains in its R position. It follows that any desired number of eastbound trains may be allowed to pass through the section X-Y without the necessity for further manipulation of lever L. If the operator desires to place signal S at stop without disturbing the locking, he may do so by moving lever L to the C position. This will open the circuit for signal S at lever contact L but it will not open the stick circuit for relay Q Signal S may then be cleared again by merely mov ing lever L back to its R position.

I will now assume that while section XY is occupied by a train moving toward the east, the operator desires to admit a second eastbound train to this section; To do this, he will leave lever L in the reverse position and will depress push button P thereby closing a circuit-for the calling-011 arm 22 of signal S. This circuit is from terminal B, through lever contact L front contact 12 of relay Q lower contact of push button P and the operating mechanism of signal arm 22 to terminalO. A third. stick circuit for relay will then be closed, which circuit includes contact 22 which is operated by signal arm 22 and is closed when this arm in the clear position. It follows that arm 22 will remain in the clear position until lever L is returned to its normal position.

The operation of the apparatus for admitting westbound trains into section XY will be apparent from the foregoing discussion without detailed explanation.

Reverting to the operation required for the clearing of signal S it will be noted that track relay X must be energized from battery C at the east end of section X Y. The circuit for this battery passes through contact 20 of relay QR, thereby assuring that both arms of signal S are in the stop position before signals S can be cleared. The circuit for battery C also passes through front point of contact 14 of relay R thereby providing a check that lever L is in the normal position. The circuit for battery C also includes a back contact 8 of track relay T thus insuring that this relay is de-energized before relay T canbecome energized. Furthermore, if section YV is occupied by a westbound train and lever L has been reversed, then a restoration of this lever to normal position will not permit signal S to be cleared because the pick-up circuit for relay R will be open at track relay contact T and so relay R cannot be energized to apply battery C to the track rails.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided all that is necessary in the way of looking to prevent the clearing, of opposing signals, and have at the same time provided for the clearing of signals to a]..- low for following moves, and that thisis-all accomplished by the use of the track rails without the necessity for. line wires extending from control station to control station.

Although I have herein shown and de. scribed only one form of system embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made, therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described I claim is l. in combination, a stretch of railway track made up of a main section and an ap preach section at each end of the main section, a track circuit including a track relay my invention, what for each approach section, a track battery and a track relay at each end of said main section, two relays R and Q, at each endof said main section, a manually operable lever at each end of said main section and each having a normal and a reverse position, two signals governing traffic in opposite directions through said stretch, a pick-up circuit for each relay R closed when the associated lever is in the normal position and the track relay for the associated approach section is energized, a stick circuit for each relay It closed when the relay is energized and the associated lever is in normal position, means operating to connect each main section trackbattery with the rails of the section when the associated relay R is energized provided the associated relay Q and the associated track relay are de-energized, means operating to connect each main section track relay with the rails of the section when the associated relay 1% is (lo-energized, a pick-up circuit for each relay Q closed when the associated leveris in the reverse position and the associated main section track relay is energized, means for clearing each signal when the. associated Ill) track relay and the: associated: relay Q, are. energized and the associated lever is in the reverse position, and a stick circuit for each relay Q including a contact closed when the associated signal indicates proceed;

' 2. In combination, a stretch of railway track made up of a main section andan ap gizing each relay B when the associated lever is in the normal position and the associated approach section track relay is energized and for subsequently keeping relay R energized as long as the lever rema ns innormal position, means for connecting eachmain section track battery with the rails of the section when the associated relay R is energized provided the associated relay Q and the associated track relay are de-energized, means for connectingeach main section track relay with the rails when the associated relay R 'is-deenergized, means for energizing each rrelay Q, when the associated main section track relay is energized and the associatedlever is in reverse position, and means for control ling each signal jointly by the associated lever, main section track relay, and relay Q. 3. In combination, a stretch of railway track made up of a main section and an ap-' proach section at each end of said main section, atrack batteryan'd a track relay at each end of said main section,two relays-R and Q, at each endof'saidmain-section, a

manually operable lever at each'endf'of said main section -and each having a normal and a reverse positlon, means for energlzing each relay B when the associated approach section is unoccupied and the associated lever is-in tion,,means for clearing each signal whentlie associated lever is reversed sociated track, relay and re ay Q are. energized, and mea'ns'for keeping each relayQ normal position and for subsequently keep ing relay R energizeduntil the lever is reversed, means for connecting each. main sec- 7 t1on track battery with the ra ls of thesection when the associated relay Ris energized provided the associatedrelay Q and theassociated track relayare de-energized, meansfor connecting each main section track relay with the rails when the associated relay R is tie-energized, means for energizing each relay .Q when the associatedmain section trackrewhen the associated lever isreversedprovided track madeup of a-main sectionand an approach section at each end of said main section, atrack'battery and a track relay at each end ofsaid main section, two relays R and Q) 'at each' end of saidina-ln section, a manually operable lever ateach end of said main section and each havlng ano'rn al and a reverse position, means for energizing each-relay R ,7

when the associated approachsection is unoccupied and the associated lever is in normal position and for subsequently keeping relay'R' energized until the lever is reversed,

means for connecting each main section track battery with-the rails of the sectionwhen the associated relay R is energized provided the associated relay Q and the'associated track relay are de-energized,'nieans for connecting each main section track relay wtih the rails whengthe associated relay R is de-energized,

means for energizing each relay Q, when the associated main section track relay is ener gized' and the associated lever is in reverse; position, signals governing traffic in oppo-t site directions through'saidstretch of track, means forclearing'each signal when'the associated lever is reversed provided'the' associated track relay and relay Q, are energized,

and means for keeping each relay Q energized as long as the associated lever is reversed or theassociated signal is clear.' i

- 5. In combination, a section of railway track, a track batteryat each endot the section normally connected with the rails, a

track relayfateach end of the section: nor

mallyfdisconnected from the rails, a inanuallyoperable lever at'each end of the section having a normal and. a reverse position,

means responsiveto reversal of each lever for d sconnecting the associated battery from and connecting theassociated track relay with the railsof the, section, a normally deb-energized sticlnrelay. Q, at each-end of said section,

means 'for'energizing each-relay Q When the associated lever is reversed and theassociated tracks relay is energized, signals govern ng traflic in opposite directions through said-secenergized as long the associated lever is reversed or the associated signal is clear.

6. In-= combination, a stretch: of-railway track made up ot amain section and an approach sectionat each end of: said main, seceach endof said-main section and-each havas a- -middle position, two signals governing traffic in opposite directions through said stretch,"a pick-up circuit for each relay R rovided the as ,ing anormal and a-reversepositiomas well V closed only when the associated lever is in the normal position and the track relay for the associated approach section is energized, a stick circuit for each relay ll closed only when the relay energized and the associated lever is in normal position, means operating to connect each main section track battery with the rails of the section when the associated R is energized provided the associated relay Q and the associated track relay Clo-energized, means operating to connect each main section track relay with the ails of the sec lon when the associated relay l5,v is de-energized, a pick-up circuit for each relay Q closed when the ass ciatcd lever is in the reverse or the middle position and the associated main section track relay is energized, a stick circuit for each relay Q closed when the relay is energized and the associated lever is in the reverse or middle position, means for clearing each signal. when the associated track relay and the associated relay Q, are energized and the associated lever is in the reverse position, and a second stick circuit for each relay Q, including a contact closed when the asso ciated signal indicates proceed.

7. In combination, stretch of railway track made up of a main section and an approach section at each end of said main section, a track battery and a track relay at each end of said main section, two relays R and Q at each end of said main section, a manually operable lever at each end of said main section and each having a normal and a reverse position as well as a middle position, means for energizing each relay B when the associated approach section is unoccupied and the associated lever is in normal position and for subsequently keeping relay R energized until the lever is moved away from its normal position, means for connecting each main section track battery with the rails of the section when the associated relay B is energized provided the associated relay Q and the associated track relay are Clo-energized, means for connecting each main section track relay with the rails when the associated relay R is deenergized, means for energizing each relay when the associated main section track relay is energized and the associated lever is in reverse or middle position, signals governing traiiic in opposite directions through said main section, means for clearing each signal when the associated lever is in the reverse position provided the associated track relay and relay Q are energized, and means for keeping each relay energized as long as the associated lever is in its reverse or its middle position.

8. In combination, a section of railway trac i, a track battery at each end of the section normally connected with the rails, a track relay at each end of the section normally disconnected from the rails, a manually operable lever at each end of the section having a normal and a reverse position, as Well as a middle position, means, responsive to reversal of each lever for disconnecting the associated battery from and connecting the associated track relay with the rails of the section, a. normally Clo-energized stick relay Q. at each end of said section, means for energizing each relay Q when the associated lever is reverses and the associated track relay is energized, signals governing traflic in opposite directions through said section, means for clearing each signal when the associated lever is in the reverse position provided the associatcd track relay and relay Q are energized, and means for keeping each relay Q energized as long as the associated lever is in either its reverse or its middle position.

in 'estimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EASTON E. FARR-ILL. 

